Mayor Reed Gusciora Challenges Runoff Opponent to Public Debates

Mayor of Trenton Reed Gusciora today challenged his runoff opponent, Corey McNair, to a four-debate series, “A Vision for the Future of Trenton,” with one public, livestreamed debate in each of Trenton’s four wards before the December 8 runoff election. The campaign asked him to respond by noon Thursday, Nov. 12, so dates and locations can be set with hosts.

“I look forward to serious debates focused on the issues,” Mayor Gusciora said. “Voters deserve to hear both of us make our case in public, on the issues that shape their lives: public safety, the budget, housing and clean water. Leading this city is a serious job, and the debate over who should do it ought to be serious, too.”

Each debate would focus on issues important to the city and to that ward. Each candidate would have 20 minutes to make the case for why they should be Mayor of Trenton, and both candidates would then respond to questions from the community. The campaign invited local, state and regional media outlets to livestream and cover the debates, and community organizations to help host them, and is ready to work with the hosts and the opponent’s campaign on dates, locations and moderators.

“Running the capital city is a huge job, with a budget, a police department and a water system to oversee, and it is only right that anyone who wants it faces tough questions,” Mayor Gusciora said. “Both of us should be able to answer them. That is what serious debates are for.”

“Voters deserve to know, side by side, how each of us approaches the issues,” Mayor Gusciora said. “There are just two of us now, so every voter should be able to compare us directly. Four debates for a runoff is not too much to ask when the winner will be running the capital city.”

Mayor Gusciora said Trenton is making enormous progress, and he has leveraged his county, state, and federal relationships, built over years of representing Trenton in the Assembly and running the city, to secure the funding Trenton needs to stabilize its finances and invest in its future. Over the past eight years, Trenton has:

• secured more than $250 million in state aid and more than $50 million in state and federal grants for housing, water, parks, roads and downtown projects;
• replaced more than 11,000 lead service lines through Trenton Water Works;
• cut violent crime about 20 percent per capita, hired 52 police officers in 2025 and 2026, and earned state police accreditation in June 2026;
• seen property values rise about 72 percent, which encourages both residential and commercial investment;
• won a $15.6 million Choice Neighborhoods grant for Donnelly Homes and North Trenton and a $54.3 million Aspire tax credit for 107 new affordable senior apartments; and
• brought more than 1,000 vacant or abandoned homes back into use and demolished more than 300 blighted properties.

“I am proud of my record of service to this city, and I know voters are eager to hear about plans for the next four years,” Mayor Gusciora said. “I hope my opponent will accept, so residents can compare our plans and decide for themselves.”